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France - Getting There |
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By Air
Air France
( www.airfrance.com ) and British Airways ( www.ba.com ) fly frequently to Paris; the trip takes 1 hour. These airlines operate up to 17 flights daily from Heathrow. London City Airport ( www.londoncityairport.com ) in the Docklands also has regular flights from London to Paris at a reasonable price.
Direct flights to Paris also operate from other U.K. cities. Contact Air France,
( www.airfrance.com ) British Airways, ( www.ba.com ) or British Midland
( www.flybmi.com ). From Dublin, Aer Lingus ( www.aerlingus.com ), which schedules the most flights to Paris from Ireland.
By Train
Paris is one of Europe's busiest rail junctions, with trains arriving at and departing from its many stations every few minutes.
Rail passes as well as individual rail tickets are available at most travel agencies or at any office of Rail Europe ( www.raileurope.com ) or Eurostar
( www.eurostar.com ).
Eurostar Express has daily passenger service from London to Paris and Brussels via the channel tunnel. The 50km ( 31-mile ) journey takes 35 minutes, with actual time spent in the Chunnel 19 minutes.
Eurostar tickets are available through Rail Europe ( www.raileurope.com ).
Le Shuttle, a train carrying vehicles under the Channel ( www.eurotunnel.com ), connects Calais with Folkestone. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, running every 15 minutes during peak travel times and at least once an hour at night.
By Bus
Bus Eurolines France, 28 av. du Général-de-Gaulle, 93541 Bagnolet
( www.eurolines.co.uk ), is a 35 minute Métro ride from central Paris, at the terminus of line 3 ( Métro: Gallieni ), in the eastern suburb of Bagnolet. Long-haul buses are equipped with toilets, and they stop at mealtimes for rest and refreshment.
By Car
The major highways from Paris are A1 to the north ( Great Britain and Benelux ); A13 to Rouen, Normandy, and northwest France; A10 to Bordeaux, the Pyrénées, the southwest, and on to Spain; A6 to Lyon, the French Alps, the Riviera, and Italy; and A4 to Metz, Nancy, and Strasbourg in the east.
By Ferry
Ferries and hydrofoils operate day and night, apart from last-minute cancellations because of storms. Most ferries carry cars, trucks, and freight, but some hydrofoils take passengers only. The major routes include Dover or Folkestone to Calais or Boulogne.
Hovercraft and hydrofoils from Dover to Calais, taking just 40 minutes during good weather. The ferries take several hours, depending on the weather and tides. Make reservations - space below decks is usually crowded. Timetables can vary depending on weather conditions.
P&O Ferries ( www.poferries.com ). Operates car and passenger ferries between Portsmouth, England, and Cherbourg, ( 3 departures a day; 4 1/4 hr. each way during daylight hours, 7 hr. each way at night ); and between Portsmouth and Le Havre, ( 3 a day; 5 1/2 hr. each way ). Most popular is the route between Dover, England, and Calais, ( 25 sailings a day; 75 min. each way ), with a one-way fare
of about £10, free for children under 4.
Hoverspeed ( www.hoverspeed.com ) runs 12 hovercraft crossings daily between Calais and Dover; the trip takes 35 minutes. It also runs a SeaCat ( a catamaran propelled by jet engines ) that takes just under 1 hour; the SeaCat departs about four times a day for the 55-minute voyage between Dover and Calais. |
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